Home
by Celeste Belle
Summary: When Siobhan comes back to Britain, she isn't looking for love. She just wants to put her life back together with the help of her dearest friends. Love still manages to find her, however, in spite of her doubts. Will she allow him into her broken heart?
1. Problem Solved

A/N: A story for my twin, Larien. May the man of your dreams truly be the man of your dreams.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Problem Solved

Siobhan arrived safely at the apparation point. Walking the streets of London brought back fond memories. It had been many years since the twenty-eight-year-old woman had been here. Still, she could remember buying supplies for her last year of school as vividly as if it were yesterday. Life, her job, and now, her fiancé had taken her far from her friends, and the country she loved. Of course, England could never be as dear to her as Ireland, but it was her second home. Much more so than her fiancé's country could ever be. America was wonderful, but the land of the free could never fully capture, never truly possess her heart the way this wonderful land did.

Breathing deeply, she relished the smells one could only find in Diagon Alley. The place had not changed in all these years. Ollivander's was still there, the wizened wizard behind the counter the same as he had been years before even her parents had known what magic was. The Owl Emporium was the same as she remembered, even with some burn marks still on the door. The war had affected everyone; it was felt even in America.

But now was not the time to think of that. Today, she was meeting up with her friends for the first time in almost ten years. Walking to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Siobhan nearly squealed in delight when her eyes lighted upon her dear friends, already seated in their favorite place. When she joined them, they all embraced, laughing and smiling, and near tears at the wondrous feeling of being reunited. It had been too long.

Sitting at the table, they purchased their usual orders. When their orders arrived, they began to talk about their lives, and the wonderful things they had been up to. Her almost-sisters led very exciting, fulfilling lives.

Susannah was now a teacher at a school she had opened herself. She taught wizarding children about the magical world, what they could expect from their magic, as well as how to control the magic some already had if it got out of hand. She was now dating Charlie Weasley. The dragon tamer now worked on a dragon reserve in England; he was quite proud of his job there, particularly since it had needed a firm and experienced hand to get it up to par. Now, it was almost as grand as the one in Romania.

Joan had married a young businessman who showed a lot of promise. They now owned a clothing chain that had shops in most of Wizarding Europe.

Emily, married with three children, had become an apothecary, purchasing a shop in a small Wizarding town in Surrey. She was now known far and wide for her skills, and often got visitors from all over. She had also received several offers of expanding her little shop, but she didn't see why she should. She did alright by accepting mail-orders. Of course, the potions were very fragile, and had to be picked up promptly on the date they were ready, but no one ever missed that appointment.

Siobhan sighed as she listened to her friends tell their stories. When Emily, who was the closest thing to a twin that she had, noticed her friend's deep hazel eyes dim just a bit, she leaned across the table to place her hand on top of Sibhan's. Troubled hazel met concerned green in an effort to convey everything that never needed to be put into words. The two brunettes, who had still been locked in conversation, paused, glancing worriedly at the two gingers.

"Siobhan, what's wrong?" Emily asked

"Your lives seem so fulfilled, so amazing. And mine…isn't." she replied dejectedly

"What's wrong?" Joan asked

Siobhan sighed again, beginning her tale.

_She'd had so many plans for after graduation. There were so many things she wanted to do. Visiting America hadn't really been one of them. Her job at one of the British dragon reserves was something she adored. The dragons weren't bad creatures, they just didn't always understand what was wanted from them. She had never admitted that Charlie Weasley was the reason she had fallen so deeply in love with dragons, because Susannah had fallen hard for the man who was two years their senior, and after graduation, the crush had been just that, a crush. Now, Susannah and Charlie were in a stable relationship that no one could break._

_Siobhan had been working at the reserve for five years when a trip to America to get a dragon had gone bad. She had ended up in the Healer House for two weeks with severe burns. Luckily, with some proper potions, spells, and magical pastes, the damage wasn't lasting. While recovering, Siobhan had fallen hard for the Head Healer, John. Their relationship had everything. He was passionate, comfortable, and they got along so __**well**__. _

_They had been dating two years when everything went sour. He never abused her physically, but the mental and emotional abuse made her question herself time and time again. She had quit her job with the reserve, and began working at an unexciting job for the American Wizarding Government, pushing papers and punching the clock. She worked long hours for virtually no pay, and no reward. She wore drabber clothes, and never wore make-up anymore. She didn't see the point. She wasn't pretty to her fiancé, and who else would find her attractive? Who else would want to date her? Maybe he was her last chance. But when she went to surprise him for their fifth anniversary, two weeks after he had proposed, she found him sleeping with a young new intern from his work. That was the final straw._

_She had looked back over the past five years, and realized that the woman that had been engaged to John was not the woman she was. She wasn't even someone she could respect anymore, so why should anyone else? But that was the day that would change. She left him. John had caused a fuss, begging and pleading, but Siobhan was not so forgiving. As a ginger, her temper far exceeded that of many people, and her grudges were the longest held. She might be able to forgive him one day for cheating on her, but she would never forget. And she could never forgive what he had turned her into, what she had allowed herself to become._

_She packed her bags, and moved back to Ireland, to the village where she had grown up. She had gotten her job back, miraculously, because the Dragon Reserve had said she was one of the best keepers they had ever seen. Her life was now back on track. She was happy._

As her tale concluded, Siobhan looked at each of her friends, who had tears in their eyes. Their ice cream had long since vanished, and her almost-sisters stood to embrace her. Wiping their eyes, each gave a small laugh. It was good to be back together. Though the three girls had seen each other from time-to-time, the group was never the same without Siobhan.

Emily spoke the words the others were thinking. "It's good to have you home, my sister."

Siobhan laughed. In their third year of school, the girls had made a pact, sealed it with a spell, and become magical sisters. They were emotionally connected, sisters in all but blood. And they would have tried that too, if it hadn't been dark magic. Nothing was the same when they were apart. No matter how many men they dated, or married, or how many jobs came into their lives, they were never happier than when they were with each other. Having the others' approval of their lives was not mandatory, but dating a man the others' couldn't stand was unspeakable. It was never stated, only understood. Luckily, that was never a problem. They had similar tastes in men, but each had little preferences that set them apart.

Siobhan smiled wider as she linked arms with her sisters so they could walk through the shops as they used to. She was home. Problem solved.


	2. Girls' Night Out

Disclaimer: There is no way that I own Harry Potter.

A/N: The next chapter! Finally.

Girls' Night Out

Siobhan had been meeting up with the girls every week since that day two months ago. She had recently finished the renovations on her house, and was looking forward to inviting the girls over to see it. Once again grateful that she was a magical being, Siobhan placed a warming charm on her supper before heading upstairs to get ready. Tonight, she and the girls were going to a Wizarding pub located in Muggle London. It was magically protected so that Muggles only saw a dingy old building. People crossed the street early so they wouldn't have to pass it.

After a nice, hot shower, Siobhan walked over to where her clothes were carefully spread on the bed. The girls were going to match tonight, each wearing their "little black dresses" that they had bought together their last year of Hogwarts. The dresses had needed some magical alterations over the years, but they still retained the same flair they'd had in the shop.

Siobhan put on the dress and stared at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she'd worn it, but she looked fantastic. A smile lit up her face as she twirled in front of the mirror. The wide straps clung to her shoulders. Hugging the curves of her bosom, the dress tapered into a fitted waist. The knee-length skirt flared gently, giving the dress a very elegant look. Her flats were green, and matched both the belt on the dress, and her eyes.

Siobhan met her own eyes in the mirror, pleased to see the laughter that had been missing for so long from her life. Pulling her hair from its customary braid, she let the curls fall gently down her back. Tonight, she was reclaiming part of herself. Her ex-fiancé had only liked her hair down when it was straightened, but she didn't have to think of him anymore. Tonight was all about her. And she wanted to immerse herself in her Irish heritage, proud of both her accent, and her hair.

Brushing it out was the hardest part, but once it was finished, she put some of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion in it, and it curled beautifully. Taking the silver Celtic cross that her grandmother had given her from its place in her jewelry box, she carefully fastened it around her neck, pleased with the way it settled next to her heart.

She had never needed make-up, but she put on just enough eye shadow and eyeliner to accentuate her eyes, and just a hint of lipstick, spelled not to wear off until it was removed. Stepping back to the mirror, she was even more pleased with her appearance. She hadn't looked this good in ages. More importantly, she _felt_ good.

"Siobhan, you look gorgeous," she told herself. "You're sure to break a few hearts tonight." Winking at herself, she did a little twirl and struck a pose.

Grabbing her purse, she walked back down the stairs. She had just enough time to eat the plate of food before she had to meet the girls.

When Siobhan and the girls arrived at the Wizarding pub, The Wayward Wand, which also had space for a dance floor, they had their wands checked at the door, and were permitted entrance. Inside, the music was blaring, some new band called the Slytherin Serpents was there. It was loud, but the words were still clear. It had a nice beat, and Siobhan found herself moving her walk to the beat with the other girls as they walked up to the bar. Emily was the designated apparater, the one who made sure they didn't do anything stupid, since she didn't really care for alcohol. The others fully intended to drink enough to loosen up, without getting smashed.

They started off with a few Butterbeers, even Emily had one, and moved on to Firewhisky. After two, Siobhan was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, but was still mostly sober. She was, however, feeling more confident and decided to make her way to the dance floor. Stepping onto the wooden surface, she smiled as the music engulfed her and the beat enslaved her. Moving her body in the dance it demanded, she noticed vaguely that she had caught the attention of a few males. One approached her and offered a dance. She declined, preferring still to dance alone, though she was very pleased with his offer. He shrugged, heading over to ask another woman.

Siobhan continued dancing, swaying her hips and moving her arms in what her friends would later tell her was a very seductive dance. As her hands caressed down her sides, she felt a very heated gaze fall on her. Opening her eyes, her gaze locked with that of Sirius Black. He was with Remus, and two younger men. One had red hair, and Siobhan could tell he was related to Charlie. The other, Siobhan could clearly recognize as Harry Potter, though she had never seen him before in her life. Seeing James' hair and Lily's eyes on Harry's face brought back memories, and a pang of loss she felt whenever she remembered anyone lost to Voldemort's evil.

But her gaze did not, could not, linger on Harry for long. Sirius' heated stare was far too powerful. He drew her eyes back to him with a magnetic force she could not explain. Smirking slightly, she took in his appearance. His shoulder-length, curly hair, was neatly brushed and tussled slightly. A black, button up shirt hugged his muscled form; the sleeves were rolled up, exposing muscular forearms; his collar was open, and even from this distance she could see a hint of a tattoo. His slightly faded jeans looked so Muggle, that Siobhan couldn't help but smile. Her smile turned seductive as she raised her gaze back from his black shoes to his eyes. Beckoning him over, she swayed her body more gently as she waited for him to join her.

Sirius was surprised to see this stunning beauty. Sure, he attracted the attention of many women, but there was something about this ginger lady that told him she wasn't the normal woman he took home on a regular basis. Still, he was drawn to her, and he was at the point in his life (finally) where he wanted to see what more a relationship with a woman could give him. As he walked toward the mysterious lady with the beautiful smile, he found he could not look away, not that he wanted to.

"Hallo." Siobhan greeted him

"Hello." He replied, waiting for her cue. Her accent intrigued him. He hadn't heard a true Irish accent in a long time.

Siobhan smiled, obviously pleased that he had not grabbed her and started to paw at her. Moving to the slower beat, she raised her arms above her head, a clear invitation for him to place his hands at her waist. He took the hint. The feel of his warm, masculine hands upon her hips sent a tingling sensation throughout Siobhan's body. She had never felt this before. Locking her gaze with his, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Allowing him to lead her, she found herself lost in his gaze.

"I'm Sirius." He said

"I know." She replied. "I'm Siobhan. We went ta school together."

Thinking hard, Sirius prayed she wasn't one of the girls he had dated at Hogwarts. His mind finally recognized the name as one of the First Years that had been at Hogwarts during his Seventh Year. The age difference was large, but it could have been worse. Besides, age really didn't bother Sirius. He focused more on other things.

"I remember you." He said with a knowing smile.

Siobhan blushed, having forgotten until that moment how she had once confessed undying love for Sirius from the depths of her eleven-year-old heart. He hadn't laughed at her, rather told her to come find him when she was older.

Siobhan smiled seductively once again. "I'm older now."

Sirius did throw back his head and laugh now. "So you are. I'm surprised you remember that."

"So am I." She stated honestly

The beat picked up once again, and Siobhan and Sirius tailored their moves accordingly. In a bold move, Siobhan spun around and began swaying against him, her arms wrapped around the back of his neck. Sirius almost groaned at the feeling of her body moving against him. Dipping his head, he rested his chin on her shoulder. Turning his face to place a light kiss on her neck, he smiled when she shivered.

Siobhan knew it had to be the alcohol. She would never let a man get this close to her otherwise. But she couldn't find it in her to stop. They swayed and moved against each other until their very breath could have steamed up the room. Siobhan was simultaneously pleased, and disappointed when the band took a break. Glancing over to the bar, she found Emily frowning slightly, but when Siobhan flashed her a smile, the frown faded.

Turning to Sirius, Siobhan prepared to tell him that she was going to have to leave, and thank you for the dance, but he beat her to it, having noticed Remus waving him over.

Picking up her hand, he placed a light kiss on the back of it. "Thank you for the dance. It was one I shall never forget."

Blushing again, Siobhan thanked him, and assured him she felt the same about it.

"I come here every Friday night." He said, placing another light kiss on her palm, leaving a flustered Siobhan to walk slowly back to Emily and the other girls.

It was a night neither of them would forget.

"Well?" the girls asked

"He comes here every Friday. I want ta come back." Siobhan said with a smile on her face.

Her friends exchanged glances, but smiled at Siobhan.

"Are you sure?" Emily asked

Letting her gaze follow Sirius as he and Remus walked out the door, Siobhan replied more firmly that she knew. "Yes."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Review please!


	3. Fateful Encounters

A/N: Sorry this took so long! Hope you enjoy reading it!

Fateful Encounters

When Siobhan awoke the next morning, her blurry eyes stung and watered when the sunlight fell upon them; her head throbbed and her stomach churned as she climbed out of bed. Stumbling down the stairs of her house, she made her way into the kitchen, taking a hangover potion out of the cabinet.

_Thank Merlin Emily is an expert potion-maker._ She thought as she tipped the liquid down her throat.

When the haze cleared, and the headache disappeared, Siobhan heaved a sigh of relief. Using her wand, she charmed the kitchen to cook breakfast while she sat down at the table with a glass of milk. Letting her mind wander to the night before, she flushed a deep red as she remembered her behavior toward the man she had danced with. She was never that forward with men. Ever! She could only imagine what the man had thought of her. She knew she must have been quite a sight on the dance floor if she was as drunk as she thought she was.

Making a mental note to owl the girls, she piled her breakfast onto a plate.

. . .

Emily laughed at the simple note she had just taken from Siobhan's owl, Vesper. So, she was worried she had thrown herself at a man? And it seemed she didn't remember who the man was. Still chuckling to herself, she scribbled a reply on the back of the note agreeing to stop by for supper. She gave the note back to the grey owl, who hooted in response to her laughter, ruffling his feathers so that the white speckles on his belly showed. When Emily offered him a treat, he took it, nipping her fingers gently before soaring through the open window.

This would be interesting. Returning her attention to the potion she was brewing, Emily couldn't keep the smirk off her face.

. . .

When Siobhan and the girls sat down to supper after the house tour, Emily began chuckling. Siobhan frowned.

"Spill." Was all she said, but then…it was all she needed to say.

The ladies launched into the tale of the night before, each telling the parts as they remembered, and interjecting when they felt necessary. When Emily revealed the name of Siobhan's dance partner, Siobhan flushed as red as her hair. She was certain even the tips of her toes matched the fiery color.

"So…I agreed to go back to the club, didn't I?"

Nodding, the girls grinned wickedly. "Yep. And we're going to take you. You practically made us promise."

Siobhan sighed. The crush she'd had on Sirius back in school had never amounted to anything, and questions of what could be had never been resolved. Thus, she still fancied him. Just a bit.

Knowing the girls would never force her, but also knowing that they knew how badly she really needed to get to know a decent guy (if Sirius Black and his womanizing ways could be called decent) and knowing how much she _really_ wanted to get to know him better, meant she would agree.

"Okay. But if he isn't there, this is the last night." She stated firmly, praying she wouldn't be tempted to drink so much alcohol this time.

. . .

At the club, Siobhan drew in a nervous breath. They had been here an hour, and there was still no sign of Sirius. Nevertheless, she was on the dance floor. She'd only had a couple drinks, so she was still very sober. Dressed to attract attention in a deep green v-neck top, tight jeans, and heels, she let the music guide her movements.

Losing herself to the beat, she didn't notice when someone began to dance with her until his hand brushed her waist. Opening her eyes, she stared up at Sirius' face. _He came!_ A smile blossomed on her lips. He answered with a roguish grin. Allowing him to place his hands on her waist, she drew him into a dance. So lost within each other, they never noticed when the music changed, though their steps changed with it. They were so lost within each other that the world could have ended and neither would have dared to stop dancing. Twisting and moving, they saw nothing but each other; heard nothing but the music that seemed to play just for them. When the music changed, and a slow song began to play, Siobhan assumed they would head back to the bar to get drinks. Thus, she was mildly surprised when he pulled her close, his hands landing lightly on the small of her back. Her hands twined around his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent.

He held her tenderly, and she did not feel threatened by his arms. Smiling as they danced, she enjoyed the moment. If he wanted more than a dance…she would make that decision when she got to it.

However, when the music stopped so the band could take a break, Siobhan found Sirius pulling away. He kissed her hand, and asked her out to lunch. She agreed to meet him the following Tuesday at the Three Broomsticks. Then, he walked back to where she could see Remus standing against the wall. They spoke for a moment before Sirius turned back to smile at her. She smiled in return, turning back to her girls.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it!


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